No Return
by airwolf addict
Summary: Story Nine. A seemingly easy mission for Michael could have some devistanting consequences... Will String be able to make it out of this one alive or will the surprise be on him?
1. Chapter 1 Business

No Return

CHAPTER 1.…… BUSINESS

"Sir, are the plans ready?"

"They are. We start at dusk."

Heaving the last of the heavy wooden crates into the van, the suit clad man slammed the doors shut and climbed into the driver's seat.

"These'll sell quite nicely then we can all retire to our own private island with the profit we make."

"I agree. Paradise is at our fingertips."

\A/

String sat alone at the bar sipping a beer while waiting for Michael to show up. Supposedly, he was going to meet Michael in secret, but he couldn't understand why if Michael wanted to be so inconspicuous he always wore a white suit everywhere. It wasn't exactly what would be normal for a bar like this. 'Where the hell was he?' He'd been sitting in the sleazy for half an hour and still no Michael.

"Another beer."

The bartender slid another bottle down the counter. 'If he hasn't shown up by the time I've finished this one, I'm outta here. He'll just have to get himself someone else for the mission.'

Another man, commonly called Archangel at the FIRM, ambled into the bar with his beautiful assistant at his side. Hawke almost didn't recognize them; he hoped it was because of their lack of the usual all-white uniform and not the after effects of the two beer he'd just had while waiting an eternity for them to show up.

"Had to go buy a new wardrobe before you showed up? Now I know why you were so late."

"For your information, we do own clothes in other colors than white," Marella retorted.

"Sure could have fooled me."

Michael broke up the brewing fight before it could get any worse. "Hawke, if you remember, I asked you here on some business."

"I remember, but you had better get on with it because I have things to do."

"Glad to see you're so worried about the problems on the real world today," Marella started again.

"I might not need you after all."

"You made me sit in this mess that is a sad excuse of a bar for thirty minutes to tell me you don't need me!" Hawke's voice raised.

Michael tried to avoid any more attention and quieted him immediately. "If you'd let me finish, I have suspicion of a major drug run coming into the US. I might not need you because it might not be anything, but I would like to have you on stand by because I personally think it is something."

"So I'm on standby. Next time just call though it would make everyone's life easier."

Their conversation was interrupted by a heated argument on the other side if the room.

"Come on, baby, it's time to go home," the obviously drunk man slurred.

"I told you before. I'm not going home with you!" the woman tried to break his strong embrace.

"I said it's time to go!" his voice broke through the noise of the cramped room.

"I'm not going," she repeated panic evident in her voice.

He pulled her roughly toward the door despite her struggles to get free.

String halted the escape. "I believe the lady said she wasn't goin with you."

"I don't think it's any of your business," the other man shot back.

"Well I'm making it my business. She said she wasn't going with and she won't be going with you."

The drunk took a swing at Hawke. When String ducked it he went staggering backwards trying to regain his balance. String punched the man sending him crashing into a table and its surrounding chairs.

"Boy, you're going to wish you'd never met me by the time I'm through with you."

"I already do wish I hadn't met you," String retorted.

The man did manage to land a good punch at Hawke who in turn landed on the floor. Making the most of his position, he kicked the man's knees casing him to end up on the floor too, then scrambled to his feet. With one more good punch he knocked the other out.

Taking the woman by the hand he said, "I think it's time we left."

On the way back to her house she thanked him. "I really do appreciate it, Jack's not usually that violent."

"He's done that before?"

She nodded. "We used to have a relationship, but I broke it off. He wanted me with him every second of the day and I didn't have time to do anything else. Afterwards he thought he could force me to coming back to him," she explained.

He pulled into her driveway and walked her to the door. "You're sure you'll be ok here?"

"I'll be fine. I don't even think he knows where I live anymore, he always insisted on being at his house," she answered. "Is there something I can do for you, get you a drink or something?"

"Thanks, but I think I've had enough to drink for one day. If you don't mind I would like to use your phone though."

"Sure, no problem." She led the way to the phone in her kitchen.

He called for a taxi to take him back to the bar where he had left his motorcycle. "I'd better get going," he excused himself before the bitter purple bruise on his cheek could get any worse.

"Alright then, I'll see you around, just hopefully not under the same circumstances."

"Yeah, see you." He closed the door behind him and waited for his taxi to show up. Arriving back at the bar, he paid the driver and mounted his own ride.

Caitlin was waiting when he got back to the hangar. "Where have you been?"

"Business."

"Michael?"

"Well, sort of," he offered no further explanation.

"So?" she asked impatiently.

"So what?"

Noticing the bruise on his left cheek, "what happened?" she asked.

"We're on standby."

"No, I mean about your cheek."

"Oh," he sad unconsciously lifting a hand to his bruised cheek then pulling it away abruptly as soon as it hit the bruise. "It's nothing."

"Sure, nothing ever is. Now go get cleaned up before Dom and Saint John come back."

"Yes mam," he said with a mock salute.

"Business with Michael not go well?" Dom asked upon entering the hangar and seeing the dark bruise contrasted against tanned skin.

"Yeah, leave it to my brother to turn a simple business matter into a bar room brawl," Saint John quipped.

"String?" Dom said with a fatherly stare, "wish to explain what he's talking about?"

"Not really," he declined.

Dom's frown only increased, "It wasn't really a question."

"Michael took forever to show then a girl on the other end had some problems and I took the liberty of helping her."

"And?" Dom asked expecting more, "I assuming she wasn't the one that slapped you."

"Her ex had a few problems with me interrupting their conversation."

"You did feel the need to even tell me you were meeting in that sleaze bucket?"

"I told Saint John, besides it would have looked like a damn convention if we all went and it was supposed to be held in secret." Hastily he changed the subject. "Where's Le?"

"He's at a friend's house," Saint John answered, "just don't forget about your promise. I don't think he'll like it if you back out again, mission or not."

"I didn't back out," String said defensively.

"A date which you canceled because of a mission counts as backing out to him."

" I said I would take him before school starts back up, that's all I promised. Now just get off my back about it; I'll take him."


	2. Chapter 2 A day with the horses

CHAPTER 2.…. A DAY WITH THE HORSES

By nine o'clock on Saturday morning, Michael had already called twice with an update on the drug smugglers.

String took Le in the jeep down an old unpaved road. "We're almost there," he told him.

Le looked out the window at the beautiful country landscape. Grassy fields swayed by the wind had a few trees scattered throughout them. Cows, horses, and even sheep grazing there.

Easing to a stop, String stepped out first, Le soon joining him from the passenger side. "Bob," he greeted the other man with a pat on the back, "it's been a long time."

"Yeah, way too long if you ask me."

"At least you look like you've done pretty well for yourself," he said referring to the vast woods, fields, and the animals living in them.

"No too bad, true old buddy. How about you? Last I heard you were working for some covert government agency that agreed to help you find your brother."

"Still half true. I work for them occasionally, but my brother's been found. In fact," he called for Le, " he came with a bonus. This is my nephew, Le."

Bob, seeing the Amerasisan boy of thirteen, stuck out a hand in welcoming greeting. "I'm Bob, your uncle's old war buddy." Returning to String he said, "I guess ya'll are gonna be wanted those horses right about now. I got them all saddled up already and they're ready to go."

"Sounds good."

Soon, String mounted a big brown chestnut and joined Le who was already mounted on a black and white paint.

"Ready?"

"Yep," Le answered readily.

"They chose a wide path to begin with starting in the grassy fields and gradually narrowing as itworked its way up the hills. Twigs snapped and leaved crunched under the steady clopping of horse hooves. Picking up the pace a little, they trotted into the woods and startled their journey. Carefully picking their way along the trail, they journeyed deep into the woods.

By noon, they had reached a stream running between the hills. String, who was in the lead, pulled up and dismounted allowing his horse to drink from the stream. Le followed suit.

"You hungry?" String asked.

"A little."

"How about we stop here for lunch then."

"Ok."

Out of the saddle bag, he pulled two sandwiches and a thermos. Le took one of them and hurriedly made his way through it.

"So much for only a little hungry," String teased. "You want another one?"

"Nah, I'm good."

They shared the thermos then put it away. "I guess we had better start heading back. How about you lead."

"Ok," Le accepted the challenge readily.

Eager to make the second half of their rise as fun as possible, he tested his riding abilities with narrow paths, streams, and detours, along with the occasional fallen log.

They arrived at their destination back at Bob's stables just as the sun was beginning to set, its red and orange rays disappearing beyond the horizon. String and Le dismounted their horses and led them in to be untacked and groomed. They helped Bob with the grooming and put the tack away.

"Thanks," Le said.

"Yeah, thanks. We had a really good time."

"Good to hear," Bob said with satisfaction. String in general was more social able and happy than the last time he had seen him after Nam. Obviously life was much better for him. "maybe next time I'll be able to join you."

"We'd love to have the company."

"Say, you've seen me and my herd, what about you? Got a wife and kid yet?"

"Nah, we got our hands full with this guy here…I probably wouldn't be a good father anyway being gone all the time," he said aloud, but secretly wished to have a family of his own.

"We? Who is we?"

"My little family-Dom, Saint John, Le and Cait."

"Cait, I don't think you've told me about her."

"Caitlin is like family. She came to work with us at Santini Air."

"Ah, I see." Looking at the ominous grey clouds in the distance, he said, "well, I wish you the best and expect to see you soon. No more waiting years to drop by, you hear?"

"I'll see about that."

String and Le thanked Bob again and climbed into the jeep to head back to Van Nuys Airport.

"Thanks, Uncle String. You know things have turned out pretty good with us. You found my dad and I still get to spend time with you, Cait, and Uncle Dom too."

String was glad to know Le was good with the current arrangement. It worried him that Le had had a rough transition and while he technically lived at the cabin, he spent great amounts of time with Caitlin and Dom at one of their apartments. Having a family involved government agencies and espionage would be hard for anyone, especially a thirteen year old boy who was had just met his true father about a year ago. "I'm glad you had a good time. Next time maybe someone else can come with us."

"Yeah, that would be great."

Pulling the jeep in at Santini Air, "How are flying lessons with Dom going?" he asked.

"Pretty well, why?"

"I was thinking maybe you could fly me to the cabin for a change."

"Really?"

"I don't see why not."

Le climbed up into the pilot's seat and pulled on a headset as String slid into the co-pilot's.

"Ready?"

"Yeah," came the eager reply.

Already familiar with the instruments from Dom's lessons and watching the others fly, Le started up the red, white, and blue Jet Ranger. Steadily, they lifted into the air and started for the cabin. With String's direction, they safety mad it past the restricted zone and to the lake. Le landed squarely on the dock and started shutting off the engines.

"How was that?''

"That was great. Much better than I ever did as a kid; it took Dom awhile just to get me to try landing in the dock and you did it without a problem."

"Wow, thanks," Le said. He knew that was a huge compliment especially from String.

Inside, String and Le walked in just in time for dinner. Saint John set it on the table and they dug in.

"So how'd it go?"

"Good," both answered.

Le started expounding on a detailed story of their ride. "It was really fun. Next time you should come too."

"Next time?" he said questioningly.

"I don't know exactly when it will be, but Bob said we should come out and do it again some time."

"Maybe I will join you."


	3. Chapter 3 The Call

CHAPER 3.……THE CALL

Early the next morning, Saint John sat on the porch. This cabin and the lake and so many memories wrapped around them- fishing trips and summer weekends, then their parents deaths, String return which hadn't been able to witness, his own return , and now having Le live with them, many visits from Michael and Marella bringing news sometimes good, sometimes not. While he enjoyed the comfort and peacefulness of the cabin, he was glad he got to share it with his brother. Despite all the good memories, he had a feeling the bad ones would take over without his brother's presence.

His thoughts were interrupted as his younger brother came outside. "Michael called. It looks like we won't be on standby much longer. The smugglers are most likely going to try coming in the next few days so we're supposed to be ready."

\A/

Saint John hefted another heavy missile into the missile hold. "She's all ready to go," he reported. "Are you sure you don't want me to come. I could be of some help somehow."

"Sinj," String repeated yet again, "somebody's got to stay and take care of Le and Dom already said he would go. This one should take long, and once we're gone and done with this things can go back to normal, whatever that's like.

"Yeah," Saint John agreed. "I'm not sure there is such a thing as normal, at least not around here anyway."

After fully re-arming the sleek, black helicopter, String and Saint John returned to the hangar. All would continued as usual until Michael called again.

The phone range incessantly from the small office. Hawke reached over and picked it up.

"Santini Air."

"Stringfellow Hawke?" a female voice whispered over the line.

"Yeah."

"I need to meet with you. How about the coffee shop across the street from the bar.

Ignoring his curiosity, he agreed to meet her there.

"Who was that?" Caitlin asked.

"A friend in need," he felt no need to share the details.

He climbed into the Santini Air jeep and drove to the coffee shop. Inside, he ordered a cup of coffee and sat at a table near the door. Soon Nika joined him.

"Is everything alright?" he asked in concern.

"Jack. I think maybe he's involved in something illegal. He just started being really secretive and I heard him talking about getting some 'goods' then we could have it all."

"Do you know anything else?'

"Once he was suspected for a drug run, but they never could put together enough evidence to bring him up on charges. That's all I know."

'I wonder,' Hawke thought, 'if this could have anything to do with the drug run Michael's worried about.'

After his meeting with Nika, he met with Michael who promised to check up on Jack's information.

Picking up the phone, String answered it. Michael's voice gave away the intent of the call before he ever finished a sentence.

"The information you gave us on Jack Stoner turned up positive. It looks like he is involved in the drug run and we have reason to believe they are planning on coming in late tonight."

\A/

"This Stringfellow Hawke is getting too close," Jack said tersely. "Distract him. I don't care what you do as long as you keep him off our backs. Just to warn you though, those who have tried to kill him have obviously failed, and many have tried."

The second man nodded in acknowledgment. "I'll see to it."

\A/

Le stood out on the dock going to wave them off. Dom climbed into the Jet Ranger and started the engines. String was just about to join him when he was stopped by Le's cries.

"Uncle String, promise you'll come back," uncharacteristic worry overtook him. Normally, he could be brave, but something just worried him more than usual.

"I always come back, and besides I believe I promised you I would take you horseback riding again soon."

"Do you really have to go?" he asked between sniffles, tears still filling his eyes.

"Yeah I gotta go, but don't worry, I'll be back." He hugged Le, pulling him tight, then joined Dominic in the helicopter.

Arriving at the Lair, String and Dom pulled on their flight suits and fastened the boots. Punching the startup button, the rotors started moving slightly then gained momentum. With a low growl, she raised up through the tall chimney and shot off through the cloudless blue sky.


	4. Chapter 4Wanted: Dead or Alive

CHAPTER 4.….. WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE

Climbing into the Huey, the dark haired man clutched the cyclic tightly and directed it toward the American borders.

"Huey," Dom reported, "armed with sidewinders and machine guns."

Hawke wasn't that worried about the machine guns. Unless they hit the main rotor or the tail rotor, the black metallic body of Airwolf would shield them from the fire. The sidewinders were all he really had to worry about.

"Land that thing now," String demanded.

Surprisingly, they other helicopter descended toward the ground. Hawke followed him down, rotor wash flattening the grass beneath them until he touched all three wheels to the ground and waited as the long rotors slowed.

"Where are they?" Hawke asked as the black haired, tan man limbed out of the Huey careful to keep his hands in plain sight.

He said nothing.

String pulled out his Colt .45 and leveled it at the other man. "I said where are the drugs?"

"I know nothing," he denied. "Search the whole chopper if you want just don't hurt me !"

String did carefully search the entire aircraft all the while keeping an eye on the slightly older pilot. He didn't find the drugs or any clues as to where they might be, yet something still seemed suspicious.

"You're free to go," he finally relented.

Climbing back into Airwolf he said, "Dom, scan audio. I didn't find anything, but I'm sure something's up."

Sure enough only minutes later the audio scanner picked them up. "He came close," the voice rasped. "Watch out for him."

"I told you to take care of it," a second voice returned. "Make sure he doesn't get anywhere near us, no matter what you have to do."

"Trace it," String directed. "They can't be far and we've got to stop them."

"Already on it," Dom assured him.

Within two minutes Dom had pinpointed an exact location for the plane, and they started the chase.

Airwolf screamed through thr sky, turbos engaged, nearing her prey. An ordinary looking Boeing 767 came into view.

Dom was just about to warn String not to shoot yet when he asked for thermal scans. "How many people are on board?"

Dom counted the heat sources. "Two. Running other scans. They also have some big cargo aboard; I'll try to find out what it is." Keys clicked away as Dominic typed in orders to Airwolf's computer, otherwise the only sound heard was the quiet hum of the computers.

"They're the ones," he finally confirmed.

The aircraft identification program automatically started running. "We got a blip back here," Dom warned.

"Have an ID?"

The scan stopped on a UH-1 Iroquois. "It's a Huey, armed with sidewinders and machine guns," he paused for a moment, " think it's the same one we just stopped a few minutes ago."

The audio scans intercepted the conversation between the Huey and the Boeing. "I thought I told you to keep them out of the way!" the first yelled angrily. "Now take care of him. He already knows too much, you'll have to take him down permanently."

"Yes, sir," the other answered immediately, fear of his boss echoed through his voice.

The Huey swung around in front of them so fast String had to bank a hard left to avoid plowing straight into them.

While trying to right the swaying caused by Airwolf's prop wash, the Huey's pilot fired a sidewinder toward Airwolf. String yanked back on the stick to avoid the missile trying to attack them. It scarcely missed them and crashed into the ground.

"Another one at three o'clock," Dom warned him. Taking Airwolf into a nosedive they stayed just ahead until coming close to the ground where he pulled out leaving the missile no target.

"Combat mode," String finally got the chance to say between dodging missiles.

"You go it."

In a blur, Airwolf shot upwards then rolled back on herself ending up directly behind the Huey. Snapping the visor down on his helmet, he called for a Copperhead.

Dom loaded one and soon the Huey was nothing more than a flaming fireball.

"Now the plane."

The distraction provided by the Huey had been enough, however, to allow the plane to reach the city. "String, we can't fire on them; we'd take out half the city."

He heaved a sigh beneath the heavy helmet. "Yeah, I know." Firefights were a lot more tricky over a city, but he would do what he could. "Chain guns one and two."

After pressing two buttons, the guns slid out. "Ready."

The plane avoided most the gunfire with some expert piloting.

"He's good," Dom remarked.

String said nothing in reply; instead, he continued firing at the aircraft in front of them. Finally on the engines gave out as a small fire started on the right wing. The plane was forced down landing in short in a large abandoned park.

The pilot climbed out, gun in hand, seemingly oblivious to the fact his gunshots were ricocheting off the armored black skin harmlessly. At last he fired no more-out of ammo. He fumbled around trying to find another clip, but not before a string of warning fire came from the guns on either side of the big helicopter's stubby winglets. String pulled the trigger again. A distinctive click could be heard in the silent cockpit, but no more ammo was left.

Connecting a call to Michael, Hawke confirmed the capture,

"You gong to bring them in?"

"Sorry we only gift-wrap."

"You don't deliver," Michael supplied the rest. "How could I forget?"

"We'll keep 'em here though 'til your boys show up."

"Good job, and thanks. Angel 1 out."

The call ended.

Outside the plane's pilot was attempting to escape. "I'd prefer to not do too much more damage to the city," String sighed abandoning the helmet on the seat and tucking his gun into his belt, "and we've got nothing left in the chain guns, so I guess I'll have to handle this personally." He directed his attention to Dom, still seated at the engineer's console. "Watch the Lady for me, just in case we get some uninvited company."

He slid out of his seat and walked toward the defenseless other pilot, gun drawn.

"Get back to your plane now," he ordered.

"Why?" the other man stalled. "If I do I'll be killed, if not you kill me. Hard choice," he remarked sarcastically, "should I die here or walk fifty feet and die?"

"Just get over their and maybe you'll get out of this with life in prison."

"Joy. Then I can slowly rot in jail; I think I'd rather you shoot me now."

"String," Dom called urgently over the loudspeaker, "get back over here. We've got company."

Armed to the teeth, a Sikorsky flew up.


	5. Chapter 5 Shadow of Death

CHAPTER 5.…….SHADOW OF DEATH

His warning came too late. The Sikorsky didn't hesitate to fire a missile at the ground where String had been standing. The game was already lost for them, what was one more dead person?

Automatically, Dom climbed into the pilot's seat and took out the other helicopter. It too was reduced to a burning fireball. Then he connected a call to Michael.

"What is it?"

"You can forget about picking up your guy," Dom told him frankly.

"What do you mean forget about it?" Michael inquired.

"He's dead."

Michael started to ask another question, but Dom ignored it. "I'm coming home. I'll be at the Lair in an hour, if you're lucky maybe you'll get some answers out of me then."

Dissatisfied with the answer, Michael asked to speak with Hawke, hoping somehow to get something out of him. "Goodbye, Michael," Dom ended the call and started back toward the hangar.

\A/

When he arrived there an hour later, everybody was waiting. He silently the helmet off and climbed out of the left door, still in shock. Saint John and Caitlin looked pleased to have him back. Le came to give him a hug then worry rushed into him when his uncle didn't get out of Airwolf.

"Where's uncle String?"

Dom shook his silently. "I'm sorry kid." Tears ran down his cheeks. "He's not coming back."

"Isn't there any chance he could still be alive?" Saint John asked. His brother had searched for him for half his life and he was willing to do the same if it came down to it.

"I wish there was. I couldn't warn him in time…" his voice trailed off for a few moments, "but the missile hit. Even in Airwolf he wouldn't have survived."

"Come on," Caitlin tried to be comforting, you need some rest. I think we all do."

\A/

Dom walked down the hallway toward his bedroom like so many other times, but this time was different. On his way, he passed the bedroom that had once belong to the Hawke brothers after their parents deaths. He remembered the small figure huddled up on his brother's bed. String was crying after loosing Saint John in Vietnam. After Nam, String never was the same, but their had always been the glimmer of hope that somewhere, somehow Saint John was still alive. This time, to his own horror, he had seen it happen. Nothing was left, not even a body to give a proper burial to. He would give just about anything to have String back, but it simply wasn't possible.

Saint John couldn't bring himself to stay at his brother's cabin. Although it had been given to both of them before their grandfather's death in so many ways it had always really been String's. He was the one that had lived there for years. He was the one that had renovated it so he could continue living after and have his brother and nephew live there too. Eve n though he didn't have the memories his brother had he couldn't sleep in their old bedroom either. He took the sofa in the loving room and curled up trying to fall asleep.

\A/

At the cabin, Caitlin stirred restlessly in the silent night, too silent. Screaming from upstairs awakened her senses and sent her rushing up to the loft. Hawke was having a nightmare, no not the Hawke she was thinking of, she mentally corrected herself, Le van Hawke. Despite everyone else's efforts to avoid the cabin, he'd insisted that was where he wanted to spend the night. He'd even chosen to sleep in String's bed.

Caitlin rushed into the bedroom. Le sat bolt upright in the large bed. "Sorry, I had a nightmare."

"It's alright. I couldn't sleep anyway."

He followed her downstairs and she started to make him a glass of warm milk.

"Uh, Cait, could I have some hot cocoa?"

"Hot cocoa?"

"Yeah, that's what Uncle String always made if I had a nightmare."

"Sure, I can do that." She doubted he'd get anymore sleep anyway.

\A/

Arrangements were made and the memorial service was to be held the next day. Only a few were expected to come, but the friends he did have were usually close ones.

Many tears were shed, understandably the most by what he had come to know as his family. Dom had been more than and employer, more than a friend, he'd been like a father for many years; Saint John cried for all the lost time he had-so many years only hoping and praying he'd get to see his brother again. Caitlin would miss him immensely too. Even though she had only known him for three years, they had become good friends and finally they had started becoming more than just friends, but now their relationship was cut short because she was missing him; she was afraid she'd never be able to love again, not the way she'd loved him. Le, too, cried. He had known String the least out of all of them, but they had become like a second father to him and he had brought his real father home to him.

Caitlin stood next to the monument dedicated to String, tears still filling her eyes. "At least he fulfilled his goal of finding his brother," she tried to console herself, "he even go the bonus of a nephew."

"And he found love with a beautiful woman," Saint John's sudden presence startled her.

"It just won't be the same without him," she sobbed.

I know, believe me I know."


End file.
